Many of us fall into routines with our hygiene habits. The hard pill to swallow is that most of us are doing it wrong. Many of the things we think we know, or grew up assuming, are in fact hurting our health. This list will open your eyes to better hygiene tips that will improve the health and quality of your life.
1. Over-bathing
A clean body can breathe. The obvious appeal is removing dirt, scum, bacteria, and other environmental extras that can cause sicknesses and deterioration. The other reason to bathe often is to remove old skin. This is the cleanest way to remove dead skin and rejuvenate pores. Don’t wait until your odor signals the need to shower. Do keep in mind though that over-bathing can lead to infections and irritation too. The dry and open areas from washing too much can increase the chances of bacteria getting deeper into your skin.The human body is home to some 1,000 species of bacteria. There are more germs on your body than people in the United States.
2. Brush and floss after every meal
The minimum habit one should form when it comes to oral hygiene is to brush and floss after every meal. You should clean your teeth two to three times a day at 60 second intervals to give you the healthy mouth you need.
3. Don’t use your hands to wipe off sweat
For all of us gym rats, it is a bad habit to reach up and wipe with the same thing that has touched over a thousand different bacteria in the previous hour. Using a small towel, or even grabbing your shirt in a quick attempt to dry off, will keep you safer from sicknesses.
4. Vacuuming
The Norwalk virus, or Norovirus, (the virus that causes the stomach flu) can survive on an uncleaned carpet for a month or more. That said, regular vacuums won’t be able to kill the bacteria that lead to the most common and detrimental health problems. Getting your carpets cleaned professionally or with a steam cleaner will give you the satisfactory clean that will eliminate most bacteria.
5. Sharing nail clippers
This one seems pretty obvious, but most families and friends do this regularly without thinking of the negative repercussions. Skin breaks or gets cut often when trimming nails, opening the door to bacteria and dirt.
6. Save the germs!
A study of over 11,000 children determined that an overly hygienic environment increases the risk of eczema and asthma. Just like bathing too often can create a problem, using sanitizer often will also dry and crack the skin and leave it vulnerable to bacteria.
7. Urine is good
Urea, a key chemical in urine, is known to kill fungi and bacteria. But don’t use this as an excuse to not wash your hands after relieving yourself. Many creams at the store contain this and can help improve skin quality.
8. Using a remote
University of Arizona researchers determined that television remotes are the worst carriers of bacteria in hospital rooms, worse even than toilet handles. Remotes spread antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus, which contributes to the 90,000 annual deaths from infections acquired in hospitals.
9. Peeing in urinals
If you are getting splashed or splashing the ground, you are doing it wrong! Experts say that if you use a urinal, get close and aim low. Don’t worry about the awkward water splashing noise, that’s why it is there.
10. Using cloth diapers
Research performed by the University of Arizona concluded that washing just one load of underwear in the washing machine can transmit 100 million E. coli into the water, which can then transfer over the current and following load. Many parents make the decision based off multiple factors to go with cloth diapers but could ultimately be hurting their family members in the long run if they aren’t cleaning them properly.
Featured photo credit: Algae and bacteria in Scanning Electron Microscope, magnification 5000x/SecretDisc via upload.wikimedia.org
